This invention relates to the preparation of colloidal particles of alumina. In particular, the invention is a process for converting alumina trihydrate to boehmite alumina that can be readily formed into aqueous dispersions.
Numerous methods have been advanced for the preparation of oxides of alumina in colloidal or sol form. A number of these methods are summarized in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,590,833; 2,787,522; 2,915,475; 3,357,791 and 3,966,893. These methods require the hydrolysis and hydrothermal treatment of soluble aluminum salts to produce the desired alumina. U.S. Pat. No. 2,590,833 is typical and teaches a process for preparing alumina hydrate sols. An aqueous solution of an aluminum salt is poured into an aqueous solution of a base; the proportions of the reactants are adjusted so that the pH is about 7 to 9.5. The precipitate formed is filtered and washed to remove over 95% of the anion contributed by the aluminum salt. The washed, reslurried precipitate is peptized by heating to form a suspension which is colloid milled to provide the alumina hydrate sol containing 4 to 5% solids.
These processes have several disadvantages. They require relatively expensive water soluble aluminum salts as raw materials. They generate large volumes of relatively dilute solution of various salts which require much effort and cost to discard and/or reclaim. In addition, the intermediate precipitates require extensive washing to remove various inorganic or organic species. Such washing often leads to loss or alteration of the fine particulate matter.